An important article on the OP-ED page of today's New York Times regarding the cost of cancer drugs and how those costs are passed on to consumers. Bach, Saltz and Wittes from Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center authored this piece (link below) describing the decision of Sloan-Kettering to NOT offer a new drug --Zaltrap--for colorectal cancer.
Very interesting and maybe surprising to hear this from the preeminent cancer center in the world where you'd expect them to try everything no matter the cost. But these docs have decided that more expensive is not necessarily better. They also explain how monthly outlays for cancer fighting drugs have risen from $4,500 per month ten years ago to drug regimens that now cost $35,000 per month. Yes, per month.
This is a short piece and worth reading. Even if you have great health insurance or Medicare no one can afford this.
Here's the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/15/opinion/a-hospital-says-no-to-an-11000-a-month-cancer-drug.html?smid=pl-share
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